Composite sheet material and method for forming the same

1. A method of forming a composite sheet material, comprising:

forming a matrix that includes:

a support component selected from the group consisting of non-woven polyester, non-woven fiberglass, non-woven polyamide, and combinations thereof, and

a thermoplastic component selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide and combinations and copolymers thereof, a melting point of the thermoplastic component being less than a melting point of the support component; and

providing a cover sheet including one or more polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene and combinations and co-polymers thereof that imparts one or more surface characteristics to the matrix during thermo-pressure formation;

positioning the cover sheet on a side of the matrix; and

laminating the matrix including the support component and the thermoplastic component with the cover sheet in a thermo-pressure process, wherein

the cover sheet is adhered to the matrix in a manner that allows removal of the cover sheet from the matrix post lamination to reveal the surface characteristic of the matrix,

after the laminating step, an amount of the thermoplastic component relative to the support component at the side of the matrix positioned adjacent the cover sheet is higher than that at an opposing side of the matrix, and

the surface characteristic is at least one of a high gloss finish, a matte finish, a pebbled finish, a satin finish, and a gloss finish.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a substrate having a first face surface, a second face surface, and a plurality of edges;

positioning the substrate and the matrix such that the matrix is contiguous with the first face surface of the substrate; and

laminating the substrate and the matrix together in a thermo-pressure process to form a composite sheet material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the providing a cover sheet includes providing a cover sheet laminate, the cover sheet laminate including:

a first component selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, and combinations and copolymers thereof, and

a second component comprising at least one thermoplastic material layer selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, and combinations and copolymers thereof applied to the first component of the coversheet laminate, and

the step of laminating includes laminating the matrix, and coversheet laminate in the thermo-pressure process to form a composite sheet material.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the matrix and the cover sheet laminate are separately formed and then combined with a substrate in the laminating step.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the composite sheet material is formed in a continuous process, and

the coversheet laminate is provided during the continuous process.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising bonding the first and second components of the coversheet laminate using a bonding agent.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic component includes first and second thermoplastic layers respectively selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide and combinations and copolymers thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first thermoplastic layer is a same material as that of the second thermoplastic layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first thermoplastic layer is a different material than that of the second thermoplastic layer.

10. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

providing a substrate having a first face surface, a second face surface, and a plurality of edges;

positioning the substrate and the matrix such that the matrix is contiguous with the first face surface of the substrate; and

laminating the substrate and the matrix together in a thermo-pressure process to form the composite sheet material.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the matrix and the substrate are combined and then combined with the cover sheet in the laminating step.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising bonding the first and second components of the coversheet laminate using a bonding agent.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the thermoplastic component includes first and second thermoplastic layers respectively selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide and combinations and copolymers thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first thermoplastic layer is a same material as that of the second thermoplastic layer.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first thermoplastic layer is a different material than that of the second thermoplastic layer.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface characteristic includes at least the gloss finish or the high gloss finish.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface characteristic includes the matte finish.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the cover sheet to reveal the surface characteristic.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the support component is selected from the group consisting of non-woven polyester, non-woven polyamide, and combinations thereof, and

the thermoplastic component is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, and combinations and copolymers thereof.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the laminating step, a surface of the side of the matrix positioned adjacent the cover sheet is uninterrupted thermoplastic component.